CANTON -- With hundreds of people dying in car accidents across the nation over a typical Thanksgiving weekend, the St. Lawrence County Traffic Program is urging travelers to buckle up.

“Historically, Thanksgiving is the busiest travel time of the year, putting more people on the road, and unfortunately, increasing the likelihood of crashes. Each year in our country, tens of thousands of passenger vehicle occupants die in motor vehicle crashes,” a release from the organization says.

“In 2013, more than 300 people were killed in crashes on Thanksgiving weekend alone. It’s a sad statistic, but even sadder is that many of those deaths could have been prevented with one simple click of a seat belt.”

The United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury by 50 percent. In 2013, approximately 12,584 people survived crashes because they were buckled up. If everyone had worn their seat belts that year, an additional 2,800 lives could have been saved.

“More than half the drivers and passengers being killed in crashes aren’t wearing seat belts. That’s a major problem,” said Mary Davison, Traffic Safety Specialist. In 2013, a total of 21,132 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in crashes, and almost half (49 percent) of those occupants were not buckled up. Thanksgiving weekend in 2013 (6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, to 5:59 a.m. Monday, December 2), a disturbing 58 percent—that is, nearly 6 out of 10—of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. At night, the statistic was even worse: 64 percent of the occupants killed at night were unbuckled.

Younger drivers are the most likely to be unbuckled in a fatal crash. In 2013, among passenger vehicle occupant fatalities where restraint use was known, the age groups 21 to 24 and 25 to 34 had the highest percentage (55 percent) of occupants killed who were unrestrained.

“It’s also important to wear your seat belt the right way,” noted Ms. Davison. “The lap portion of the belt should fit low on the hips, and the shoulder portion should cross the chest and shoulder. Putting the shoulder portion of the belt behind your back decreases your protection.”

“For those people who already buckle up every time: Thank you,” said Ms. Davison “For them, this campaign serves as a reminder. But for those people who still don’t buckle up for whatever reason, I want to say this: buckling your seat belt is one of the simplest, safest things you’ll ever do.”

So this Thanksgiving, and every day of the year, make sure your seat belt is buckled before you start any road trip—whether it’s one mile or a thousand.

For more information about traveling safely during Thanksgiving, please visit www.nhtsa.gov or contact Davison at the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program at 379-2306 or via e-mail at mdavison@stlawco.org.